List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers
The following is a list of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers of the Great Seal of England and Great Britain. It also includes a list of Commissioners of Parliament's Great Seal during the English Civil War and Interregnum.
Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers of England, 1068–1707
11th century
- Herfast (1068–1070)
- Saint Osmund, count of Sées and bishop of Salisbury (c. 1070)
- Maurice, Archdeacon of Le Mans (c. 1078)
- Gerard, Preceptor of Rouen (c. 1085-before 1091), later Archbishop of York
- Robert Bloet (after January 1091)
- William Giffard (1094–1101)
12th century
- Roger of Salisbury (1101–1102)
- Waldric (1102–1107)
- Ranulf (1107–1123)
- Geoffrey Rufus (1123–1133)
- Robert de Sigello (1133–1135) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Roger le Poer (1135–1139)
- Philip de Harcourt, Dean of Lincoln (1139–1140)
- Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1140–1141)
- William FitzGilbert (1141–1142)
- Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1142–1154)
- Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury (1155–1162)
- Geoffrey Ridel, Archdeacon of Canterbury (1162–1173)
- Ralph de Warneville, Treasurer of York (1173–1181)
- Geoffrey, the Bastard, Plantagenet (1181–1189)
- William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely (1189–1197)
- Eustace, Dean of Salisbury (1197–1199) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Eustace, Dean of Salisbury (1198–1199)
13th century
- Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury (1199–1205)
- Walter de Gray ?"Bishop of Lichfield"?, 1214–15 Bishop of Worcester, from 1215 Archbishop of York (1205–1214)
- Richard Marsh (1214–1226), from 1217 Bishop of Durham
- Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1226–1240)
- Richard le Gras, Abbot of Evesham (1240–1242)
- Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1242–1244)
- Silvester de Everdon, Archdeacon of Chester (1244–1246) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Maunsell, Provost of Beverley (1246–1247) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Sir John Lexington (1247–1248) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Maunsell (1248–1249) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Sir John Lexington (1249–1253) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Eleanor of Provence,[1][nb 1] Queen Consort and Regent of England (1253–1254) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- William of Kilkenny (1254–1255) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Henry Wingham (1255–1260), from 1259/1260 Bishop of London
- Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1260–1261)
- Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1261–1263)
- Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1263)
- John Chishull, Archdeacon of London (1263–1264)
- Thomas Cantilupe, Archdeacon of Stafford (1264–1265)
- Ralph Sandwich (1265) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Walter Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells (1265–1266)
- Godfrey Giffard, Archdeacon of Wells (1266–1268)
- John Chishull, Dean of St Paul's (1268–1269)
- Richard Middleton, Archdeacon of Northumberland (1269–1272)
- Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1272–1274)
- Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath (1274–1292)
- Thomas Bek, Archdeacon of Dorset (1279) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- John Langton, Canon of Lincoln (1292–1302)
14th century
- William Greenfield, Dean of Chichester (1302–1305)
- William Hamilton, Dean of York (1305–1307)
- Ralph Baldock, Bishop of London (1307)
- John Langton, Bishop of Chichester (1307–1310)
- Walter Reynolds, Bishop of Worcester (1310–1314)
- John Sandale, Canon of Lincoln (1314–1318)
- John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1318–1320)
- John Salmon, Bishop of Norwich (1320–1323)
- Robert Baldock, Archdeacon of Middlesex (1323–1326)
- William Ayermin, Bishop of Norwich (1326–1327)
- John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1327–1328)
- Henry Burghersh, Bishop of Lincoln (1328–1330)
- John de Stratford, Bishop of Winchester (1330–1334)
- Richard Bury, Bishop of Durham (1334–1335)
- John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1335–1337)
- Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1337–1338)
- Richard Bintworth, Bishop of London (1338–1339)
- John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1340)
- Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1340)
- Sir Robert Bourchier (1340–1341)
- Sir Robert Parning (1341–1343)
- Sir Robert Sadington (1343–1345)
- John de Ufford, Dean of Lincoln (1345–1349)
- John Thoresby, Bishop of Worcester (1349–1356)
- William Edington, Bishop of Winchester (1356–1363)
- Simon Langham, Bishop of Ely (1363–1367)
- William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1367–1371)
- Sir Robert Thorpe (1371–1372)
- Sir John Knyvet (1372–1377)
- Adam Houghton, Bishop of St David's (1377–1378)
- Lord Scrope of Bolton (1378–1380)
- Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury (1380–1381)
- Hugh Segrave (1381) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- William Courtenay, Bishop of London (1381)
- Lord Scrope of Bolton (1381–1382)
- Robert Braybrooke, Bishop of London (1382–1383)
- Lord de la Pole (later Earl of Suffolk) (1383–1386)
- Thomas Arundel, Bishop of Ely (1386–1389)
- William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1389–1391)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of York (1391–1396)
- Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1396–1399)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1399)
15th century
- John Scarle, Archdeacon of Lincoln (1399–1401)
- Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1401–1403)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Lincoln (1403–1405)
- Thomas Langley, Dean of York (1405–1407)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1407–1410)
- Sir Thomas Beaufort (1410–1412)
- Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1412–1413)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1413–1417)
- Thomas Langley, Bishop of Durham (1417–1424)
- Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1424–1426)
- John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1426–1432)
- John Stafford, Bishop of Bath (later Archbishop of Canterbury) (1432–1450)
- John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1450–1454)
- Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1454–1455)
- Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury (1455–1456)
- William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester (1456–1460)
- George Neville, Bishop of Exeter (1460–1467)
- Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1467–1470)
- George Neville, Archbishop of York (1470–1471)
- Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1471–1473)
- Laurence Booth, Bishop of Durham (1473–1474)
- John Alcock, Bishop of Rochester (1475), (Keeper of the Great Seal)
- Thomas Rotheram, Bishop of Lincoln (1475–1483)
- John Russell, Bishop of Lincoln (1483–1485)
- Thomas Rotheram, Archbishop of York (1485)
- John Alcock, Bishop of Worcester (1485–1486)
- John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1486–1500)
1500–1654
| Image | Name | Term of office | Monarch (Reign) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Deane, Archbishop of Canterbury, Keeper | 1500 | 1502 | Henry VII.svg.png) (1485–1509) | |
 |
William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, Keeper to 1504 | 1502 | 1515 | |
| Henry VIII (1509–1547) | ||||
 |
Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Archbishop of York | 1515 | 1529 | |
 |
Sir Thomas More [2] | 1529 | 1532 | |
%2C_Lord_Audley%2C_1569.jpg) |
Sir Thomas Audley (Lord Audley of Walden from 1538) [3] |
1532 | 1544 | |
 |
Lord Wriothesley | 1544 | 1547 | |
| Edward VI (1547–1553) | ||||
 |
Lord St John, Keeper | 1547 | 1547 | |
 |
Lord Rich [4] | 1547 | 1551 | |
 |
Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely | 1552 | 1553 | |
 |
Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester | 1553 | 1555 | Mary I.svg.png) (1553–1558) |
 |
Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York | 1555 | 1558 | |
 |
Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper | 1558 | 1579 | Elizabeth I.svg.png) (1558–1603) |
 |
Sir Thomas Bromley | 1579 | 1587 | |
_cropped.jpg) |
Sir Christopher Hatton | 1587 | 1591 | |
|
In Commission:
|
1591 | 1592 | |
 |
Sir John Puckering, Lord Keeper [5] | 1592 | 1596 | |
 |
Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper to 19 July 1603 (Lord Ellesmere from 1603 Viscount Brackley from 1616) |
6 May 1596 |
5 March 1617 | |
James I.svg.png) (1603–1625) | ||||
 |
Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Keeper to 1618 (Lord Verulam from 1618 Viscount St Alban from 1621) |
7 March 1617 |
1621 | |
|
In Commission:
|
1621 | 1621 | |
 |
John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, Lord Keeper | 1621 | 1625 | |
 |
Sir Thomas Coventry, Lord Keeper (Lord Coventry from 1628) |
1625 | 1640 | Charles I (1625–1649) |
 |
Lord Finch, Lord Keeper [6] | 1640 | 1641 | |
 |
Lord Lyttleton of Mounslow, Lord Keeper (Took Great Seal to the King in 1642) |
1641 | 1645 | |
| Sir Richard Lane, Lord Keeper | 1645 | 1650 | ||
Charles II.svg.png) Court in exile from 1649 | ||||
| Vacant | 1650 | 1653 | ||
| Sir Edward Herbert, Lord Keeper | 1653 | 1654 | ||
The Great Seal was captured and destroyed by Parliament on 11 August 1646
Commissioners of Parliament's Great Seal 1643–1660
| Image | Name[7] | Term (From – To) |
|---|---|---|
 |
In Commission:
|
Nov 1643–Oct 1646 |
|
In Commission:
|
1646–1648 |
|
In Commission: | 1648–1649 |
|
In Commission: | 1649–1654 |
|
In Commission: | 1654–1656 |
|
In Commission:
|
1656–1659 |
|
In Commission:
|
January–June 1659 |
|
In Commission: | June 1659–1660 |
|
In Commission: | 1660–1660 |
From the Restoration, 1660, to the Act of Union, 1707
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Other Peerage(s) | Monarch (Reign) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Hyde PC FRS (1609–1674) |
13 January 1658 |
30 August 1667 |
Baron Hyde in 1660 Earl of Clarendon in 1661 |
Charles II (1660–1685) |
 |
The Right Honourable Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Bt. PC SL [nb 2] (1606–1674) |
31 August 1667 |
17 November 1672 |
— | |
 |
The Right Honourable Anthony Ashley Cooper 1st Earl of Shaftesbury PC FRS (1621–1683) |
17 November 1672 |
9 November 1673 |
||
 |
Sir Heneage Finch (Lord Keeper until 1675) (Lord Finch from 10 January 1673, Earl of Nottingham from 12 May 1681) |
9 November 1673 |
18 December 1682† |
— | |
 |
Sir Francis North PC [nb 3] |
20 December 1682 |
5 September 1685† |
Baron Guilford in 1683 | |
| James II (1685–1688) | |||||
 |
Lord Jeffreys | 28 September 1685 |
December 1688 |
— | |
.svg.png) |
In Commission:
|
4 March 1689 |
14 May 1690 |
— | Mary II.svg.png) (1689–1694) & William III (1689–1702) |
|
In Commission:
|
14 May 1690 |
22 March 1693 |
— | |
 |
Sir John Somers (Lord Keeper until 1697) (Lord Somers from 1697) |
23 March 1693 |
27 April 1700 |
— | |
|
In Commission: | 27 April 1700 |
31 May 1700 |
— | |
 |
Sir Nathan Wright [nb 4] (1654–1721) |
31 May 1700 |
11 October 1705 |
— | |
Anne.svg.png) (1702–1714) | |||||
 |
William Cowper [nb 5] | 11 October 1705 |
4 May 1707 |
Baron Cowper in 1706 | |
Lord High Chancellors and Lord Keepers of Great Britain (1707–present)
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Notes
- First and only woman to hold the office until Liz Truss in 2016.
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 7 April 1713.
- Lord Keeper of the Great Seal until 16 January 1761.
- The Prince of Wales served as Prince Regent from 5 February 1811.
- Yorke, who had been associated with the opposition, was persuaded to accept appointment as Lord Chancellor and was to have been created Baron Morden. However on meeting with his erstwhile opposition colleagues he became ashamed of his action. He refused to sign the patent conferring the peerage on himself and then committed suicide.
- First non-peer to serve as Lord Chancellor since Sir Robert Henley as Lord Keeper of the Seal in 1760.
- First woman to hold the office since Eleanor of Provence in 1254.
References
- https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/lcj-speech-swearing-in-lord-chancellor-july2016.pdf
- A former Speaker of the House of Commons
- A former Speaker of the House of Commons
- A former Speaker of the House of Commons
- A former Speaker of the House of Commons
- A former Speaker of the House of Commons
- Cook and Wroughton, English Historical Facts, 1603–1688, PP 8–9
- Geoffrey Treasure, ‘Cowper, William, first Earl Cowper (1665–1723)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, September 2004; online edn, January 2009 accessed 27 March 2009
- Former Lord High Chancellor of Ireland
- Former Lord High Chancellor of Ireland
- John Haydn and Horace Ockerby, The Book of Dignities, third edition, W.H. Allen and Co. Ltd, London 1894, reprinted Firecrest Publishing Limited, Bath 1969, p. 352–358
- John Lord Campbell (1845) Lives of the Lords Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England. 5th ed. (1868) London: Murray, vol. 10
- Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
External links
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